Rear Admiral Robert Erly
By Ron Pickett
The distinguished military career of Rear Admiral (RADM) Robert Broussard Erly was marked by three distinct areas: surface warship operations, amphibious warfare, and diplomatic relations with other nations, particularly in the Americas. Born in Washington, D.C., on June 13, 1914, RADM Erly died on July 31, 2014 in San Diego, California. Following his memorial service at the United States Naval Academy, he was interred in the cemetery on the Academy grounds. His retirement years were spent in Coronado, California.
Erly entered the United States Naval Academy (USNA) in August 1933 and graduated in 1937. An early entry in his history includes the following: “In 1933, Seaman Second Class Robert Erly was ordered from the 3rd Fleet to the volunteer reserve for failure to maintain efficiency.” Obviously, he later maintained efficiency! Upon graduation, he reported to the battleship USS New Mexico (BB-40) and served on it until he was detached in 1938 for duty on the destroyer USS Conyngham (DD371). In 1940, he participated in navy flight training in Florida but returned to a career on surface ships.
In January 1941, he joined the destroyer USS Cassin (DD-372). On the morning of December 7, 1941, while Japanese planes were bombing his destroyer, the destroyer USS Downes (DD-375), and the battleship USS Pennsylvania (BB-38) (all three of which were in dry dock), Lt JG Erly organized a crew to turn water hoses on the ships. This action of hosing the torpedoes and depth charges prevented them from exploding and further damaging the three ships. After the attack, the three ships were repaired and able to return to active duty. For his action, Erly received the Navy Commendation Medal with Combat V (Valor).
His service on board the Cassin came to an end because of the damage sustained during the attack. He became Battery Commander of Naval Anti-Aircraft Shore Battery Number 4 at Pearl Harbor until July 1942, when he was assigned to the USS Frazier (DD-207). He was selected to advise the Cuban Navy on behalf of Commander Gulf Sea Frontier in January 1943. His Spanish language capability was a result of his USNA studies, plus a natural ability for the language. Graduates were required to learn Spanish and/or Portuguese at the academy during that period. From then until January 1944, he served as Assistant Chief of the Naval Mission to Cuba. He returned to destroyer duty as Executive Officer and Navigator on USS Laub (DD-613) and then received his first command, USS Phelps (DD-360), in August 1944.
Following the war, in January 1946, he reported to the United States Naval Mission in Venezuela and later became the Acting Chief. He remained there until February 1948. For his services he was the awarded the Venezuelan Order of Naval Merit.
Erly was then Executive Officer of the destroyer tender USS Yosemite (AD-19). In 1949-50 he was an instructor at the General Line School in Newport, Rhode Island. Erly assumed command of the destroyer USS James C. Owens (DD-776) in July 1950. In May 1952, USS Owens, operating off the coast of Korea, exchanged fire with enemy shore batteries. Erly received a Bronze Star Medal with Combat “V”.
In 1952-53, he attended the Armed Forces Staff College in Norfolk, Virginia, and then served on the staff of Commander Amphibious Group Two, US Atlantic Fleet. From February 1955 until March 1958, he was assigned to the office of the Chief of Naval Operations. He assumed command as the first commanding officer of the attack transport USS Paul Revere (APA-248) in September 1959. It was while under his command that Paul Revere won the coveted Ney Award.
Erly served in rapidly successive positions; 1959-60, Operations Officer for the Amphibious Force Pacific Fleet staff, 1961-62 he was Commander Amphibious Squadron Five, in 1962-63 he was a student at the National War College, and in 1963-65, he was Chief of Staff to Commander Amphibious Force, U. S. Pacific Fleet.
Serving as Commander Amphibious Group Three and Commander River/Coastal Warfare group in 1965-66 was Erly’s first assignment as a flag officer. He developed the Riverine Warfare Doctrine that further developed strategies for fighting on rivers during the Viet Nam conflict. He served in OP-63 from 1966-68 as coordinator of inter-American affairs, naval missions, and Military Assistance Advisory Groups. From 1968 to 1972 he served on the Atlantic Fleet staff, first as inspector general and later as Deputy Chief of Staff for Plans and Operations. Erly’s final tour of duty 1972-74, was in Portugal, as Commander of Iberian Forces Atlantic Fleet and Chief of the Military Assistance Advisory Group to Portugal.
Decorations awarded to RADM Erly also included, among others, four awards of the Legion of Merit, World War II Victory Medal, Korean Service Medal, Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal (Vietnam), and the United Nations Service Medal. His medals included several foreign decorations for his services to those countries, where his skill in diplomacy was put to good use: the Order of Naval Merit from Brazil, the Great Star of Naval Merit from Venezuela, Order of Naval Merit from Columbia, Order of Naval Merit from Cuba, Great Star of Naval Merit from Chile.
Upon retirement, RADM Erly and his wife Lois returned to Coronado, a town which had been home to them several times during his career. He was active in the Navy League, Coronado Yacht Club, Naval Academy Alumni Association, and Pearl Harbor Survivors Association. Erly served as a trustee of the U.S. Naval Academy Foundation. He worked with the American Cancer Society as Chairman of the Coronado Chapter, Vice President for Organization of the San Diego Unit, and board Member of the California Division. He was President of the Coronado Playhouse in 1977, and even did some acting–performing once as a Japanese wrestler and another time as a caveman. He continued to participate in reunion events with his shipmates throughout his lifetime. Other civic organizations also benefited from his membership and participation.
He was preceded in death by his wife, Lois Richards Erly, who died in 2004 after sixty years of marriage. Eventually remarrying, Erly is survived by his wife of nine-years, Thea H. Wallace-Erly. She is still a resident of Coronado.
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